Who was the first American black lawyer?

Answer 1

While the Supreme Court doesn't keep records of attorneys at bar by race, historians claim the first African-American to argue before the Court was J. Alexander Chiles, in 1910.*

James Alexander Chiles was an African-American lawyer, educated at the University of Michigan Law School, engaged in a successful legal practice in Lexington, Kentucky. Chiles appeared before the Court to argue his own case, in propria persona, against the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company.

Chiles v. Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co., 218 US 71 (1910)

Chiles bought a first-class railway ticket enabling him to travel from Washington, D.C. to Lexington, Kentucky. The first train he rode did not have access to the Lexington station, so he was forced to change trains for the final leg of the journey, between Ashland and Lexington, KY.

Chiles took a seat in a car that was reserved exclusively for white people. Despite having a first-class ticket, he was forcably removed, under protest, to a car designated for African-American travelers.

Chiles argued that, since the railroad was engaged in interstate commerce, he should be afforded the right of Equal Protection under the 14th Amendment.

The Court, citing Hall v. DeCuir, 95 US 485 (1878), ruled that the 14th Amendment only applied to actions of the state and federal government, not to private individuals and enterprises; therefore, Chesapeake & Ohio was within its rights to segregate passengers by race.

This is just one example of the Jim Crow laws in operation. The Court didn't uphold 14th Amendment protection against discrimination in interstate travel until the case of Morgan v. Virginia, 328 US 373 (1946).

* John Rock, the first African-American admitted to the US Supreme Court bar (February 1, 1865), never had an opportunity to argue a case before the Court because he died of consumption (tuberculosis) on December 3, 1866.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, the United States has not yet had an African-American preside over the US Supreme Court. To date, there have only been two African-American Associate Justices: Thurgood Marshall (1967-1991) and Clarence Thomas (1991-Present).

Answer 3

Marshall was the first African American justice and spent his life fighting for equality. As a young man he had experienced discrimination first hand. He was the lawyer for Brown v Topeka and argued that separate but equal was not equal at all. He was a great man and powerful ally for equality and civil rights for all.